I was chatting with my friend today. Her daughter Sarah was home from college for the long weekend. Monday was a free day due to the Martin Luther King holiday. As we were chatting, my friend was remembering that when Sarah was in kindergarten she came home from school anxious to share about her day. Excitedly she said, “Mom, do you know that today is Horton Luther King’s birthday?” Clearly Sarah was confusing the name from Dr. Seuss’ book Horton Hears a Who! And she wasn’t the only one confused. One of Sarah’s classmates told her mom that it was “Martha Luther King’s” birthday.

I sincerely doubt that Sarah’s teacher referred to Martin Luther King as “Horton” or “Martha.” But for some reason, these little girls didn’t leave school with the clear picture. Maybe they weren’t listening or were sleepy or too busy wondering what the snack was going to be that day. Whatever the reason, they didn’t come away with an accurate understanding of who Martin Luther King Jr. really was.

As I reflected on my friend’s story (yes, it made me chuckle several times throughout my day), I realized that I often do this same thing with God. He provides an accurate picture of who He is in His word. But because I’m distracted or tired, I come away with a blurred understanding. For example, I have at times had the thought “I wonder if God really loves me.” And yet, it is clear in His word that He does. There is no greater love than the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. He died so that I can be forgiven of my sins, be made a new creation in Christ, and live in the fullness of redemption! Why would I EVER question God’s love for me? But in honesty, I have. And I find that those doubts creep in when I’ve strayed from the discipline of reading my Bible or when I let the circumstances around me speak more loudly than the truth of scripture. Or maybe it’s because I’m disconnected to God because I haven’t been in prayer.

My guess is that if Sarah had actually met Martin Luther King, Jr. at school that day, she probably wouldn’t have confused him with the main character from Horton Hears a Who! Obviously there is not a single one of us who will have the chance to meet this great leader of the Civil Rights Movement unless we have already met him. But we can meet God. And not just for a fleeting moment. As we study the bible, talk to Him in prayer, and fellowship with other people who love Him, we can come to know Him more deeply, developing an intimate relationship with Him. He is not distant; he is not elusive. God makes this promise in Jeremiah 29: 13-14a You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord,…

That’s a promise I don’t want to let pass by. How about you? Are you growing in your understanding of who God really is? Or do you have a confused perspective? It’s true that this side of heaven we will never have a perfect understanding of who God is. But no matter where we are in our walk with God, we can know Him better. I want to seek God fully and allow him to reveal Himself to me through His Word, through prayer and through the people who are making this journey of faith with me? Will you join me?